Three Syrian brothers, who were arrested in Denmark and the German state of Hesse, were preparing a terrorist attack, according to information from Spiegel. A suspicious order of chemicals led the counterterrorism services to them.
German and Danish security officials appear to have managed to prevent an Islamic terrorist attack in Europe.
According to Spiegel, police arrested three brothers from Syria in both countries over the weekend and seized propaganda material and several kilograms of chemicals from the Islamic State (ISIS) organization.
In Germany, the case is being investigated by the Nauburg City Prosecutor's Office in the state of Saxony-Anhalt. The accusation against the Syrians is: preparation of a serious act of violence that endangers the security of the state.
Last week, the Federal Crime Prosecution Service received a notification of a suspicious online order from a merchant in Poland. A 33-year-old Syrian living in Denmark had ordered five kilos of sulfur and five kilos of aluminum powder to be sent to his brother's address in the (German) city of Dessau. These chemicals can be used to make bombs.
Police in Saxony-Anhalt investigated the Dessau apartment. However, the special commission “Erde” did not find the chemicals that had been ordered. However, kilos of crackers, wicks and other flammable materials were found, as well as an improvised flag of the “Islamic State” organization. In one Qur'an, verses were underlined referring to the struggle against the “unbelievers”.
Initially, the traces of the 36-year-old Syros who was registered in the municipal register of the city of Dessau were not found. Police finally arrested the man on Sunday in Denmark, along with his brother. Police also found the chemicals originally ordered for Saxony-Anhalt, as well as other symbols of the terrorist organization.
German police also arrested their third brother over the weekend in Dicenbach, Hesse. The 40-year-old is in custody.
Police believe the arrests prevented a terrorist attack. It is not clear whether the attack would take place in Germany, Denmark or any other country.
